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Iran’s Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei appeared in public Saturday for the first time since the outbreak of the recent 12-day war with Israel, state media reported, amid heightened regional tensions and speculation over his health.
Khamenei, 85, was seen attending an Ashura ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh in Tehran, where he was greeted with chants of loyalty by worshippers. State television broadcast footage showing the supreme leader entering the hall as the crowd chanted, “The blood in our veins is a gift to our Leader.”
The appearance marked Khamenei’s first in-person event since before Israel launched a series of surprise airstrikes that triggered the brief but intense conflict..
Although he had delivered pre-recorded speeches throughout the fighting, he had remained absent from public view for weeks, including from the Muharram mourning ceremonies traditionally hosted at his residence.
For the first time, he missed three consecutive nights of the annual religious observances.
Khamenei had remained vocal during the hostilities. In televised addresses, he accused the United States of directly participating in attacks against Iran to aid Israel. Following the ceasefire, Khamenei claimed Washington had intervened militarily to "save Tel Aviv," which he said had been weakened by Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
During the war, both U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli officials issued threats against Khamenei, further inflaming rhetoric between Tehran and its adversaries.
The war between Iran and Israel erupted on June 13 when Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites, killing at least 935 people, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. More than 5,300 others were reported injured.
In response, Tehran launched a series of missile and drone strikes on Israeli territory, killing at least 29 and injuring more than 3,400 people, according to data released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The war ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
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